{"id":4138,"date":"2020-06-09T11:15:52","date_gmt":"2020-06-09T03:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newmalaysiatimes.com\/?p=4138"},"modified":"2020-06-09T11:15:52","modified_gmt":"2020-06-09T03:15:52","slug":"prihatin-pm-muhyiddin-cares-deeply-about-peoples-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newmalaysiatimes.com\/?p=4138","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Prihatin\u2019 PM Muhyiddin cares deeply about people\u2019s problems"},"content":{"rendered":"
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KUALA LUMPUR, June 9\u00a0\u00a0— Makcik Kiah was trending on social media soon after Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin used her as an example to illustrate the cash assistance that an\u00a0average Malaysian stood to benefit from through the government\u2019s Prihatin Rakyat Economic\u00a0Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN) in the early phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO).<\/p>\n

Other names such as Madam Lee, Haji Salleh and Surjit Kaur followed suit when Muhyiddin used them when he announced the PRIHATIN for SMEs\u00a0(Small and Medium Enterprises)\u00a0to mitigate the financial impact of the COVID-19\u00a0crisis in the country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In fact, these familiar characters provide a realistic analogy that is easily understood by the people, reflecting the country\u2019s number one leader who understands, empathises and deeply cares about\u00a0the people adversely affected by the MCO, said economist Prof Dr Barjoyai Bardai.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way he uses familiar characters clearly demonstrates that the prime minister truly empathises with every segment of people in Malaysia affected by the MCO, and he wants to make sure at the\u00a0very least that there is food on every family\u2019s table,\u201d\u00a0he said on Muhyiddin\u2019s first\u00a0100\u00a0days in office as the country\u2019s 8th Prime Minister.<\/p>\n

In comparison to other countries, Barjoyai said\u00a0many were shocked when the Malaysian government was able to allocate a large sum\u00a0of money in direct fiscal injection\u00a0through the RM35 billion\u00a0PRIHATIN or caring package, which he described as a \u2018humanitarian budget\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Barjoyai said households which have lost their livelihoods and faced difficult times when the MCO was implemented had benefitted directly through various initiatives such as wage subsidy, one-off\u00a0cash assistance, special incentives for frontliners as well as cash aid to e-hailing and taxi drivers.<\/p>\n

However, he noted that one of the weaknesses that had to be dealt with after all these years was that the country lacked a proper database to know the profile and real status of the households,\u00a0such as taxi drivers, fishermen, homeless and single mothers, and this had systematically delayed the\u00a0delivery of the assistance.<\/p>\n

He said Muhyiddin is\u00a0also facing great challenges as more workers are expected to lose their jobs in the post-Aidilfitri period, and this would demand further humanitarian aid, especially in the form\u00a0of food, for at least the next six months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meanwhile, socio-economic analyst Associate Prof Dr Madeline Berma praised the government\u2019s response and swift action led by Muhyiddin in announcing economic stimulus packages that were\u00a0done in a fair and timely manner, especially in helping to reduce the financial burden of the people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe effects of COVID-19 differ. You are in the same storm but not on the same boat. The T20, M40 and B40 boats are very different. The B40 group had lost their source of income as the majority of\u00a0them were roadside hawkers and traders, then the husband and working children were laid off too,\u201d\u00a0she said.<\/p>\n

According to the Special Survey: Effect of COVID-19 on the Economy and Individual (Round 2) conducted by the Department of Statistics Malaysia in April, a total of 70.1 per cent of respondents\u00a0felt that the PRIHATIN package was effective in reducing financial burden.<\/p>\n

However, Madeline said that although various grants and assistance\u00a0had been provided by the government, it would only reduce\u00a0the financial burden for a short term\u00a0and did not completely solve the problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next big challenge will be in terms of employment and economic opportunities,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, private-sector employee Zulkarnain Osman, 40, said while people were facing\u00a0unexpected hardships and without proper preparation due to the MCO, the prime minister\u2019s\u00a0announcement of various types of special aid and relaxation such as withdrawal from the Employees\u00a0Provident Fund, really provided the people with much-needed relief and room to breathe.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor now, what matters is survival, not a luxury, as the people also understand the outbreak is\u00a0affecting not only Malaysia but the whole world. The approach taken by the prime minister has\u00a0shown that he is a person who cares about the people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan final year student Ahmad Fakharuddin Abdul Halim, 24,\u00a0saw Muhyiddin as a father\u00a0figure who cared deeply about his children’s situation without\u00a0favouritism.<\/p>\n

\u201cI personally used the RM250 Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) cash assistance as capital to start a satay business in Kuala Berang, Terengganu and Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah) it provides me\u00a0with pocket money while looking for a permanent job,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

— BERNAMA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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